The ‘rule of law’ is one of the most frequently invoked and least understood ideas in contemporary legal and political discourse. It is widely employed not only by lawyers but also by governments, international organizations, NGOs and think tanks. But does the phrase possess a coherent meaning or is it simply a rhetorical expression lacking any clear normative underpinning? Is it a moral ideal or merely a means to an end? Is it a harbinger of liberty or just the latest manifestation of neocolonial domination? Can it, as is now being claimed, facilitate democracy, development, and economic growth? Does the rule of law express distinctively liberal democratic values or is it compatible with authoritarianism? I don’t expect to answer these questions in the seminar but, by stripping the concept to its core meanings, I hope we might get a clearer sense of what’s at stake.